"Brother Tomu, are we still going to fetch water today?"
Tomu glanced at Naruto and smiled faintly.
"Don't worry. What I said yesterday still counts. We're still fetching water today. No changes."
Naruto nodded quickly.
"Oh! That's good, that's good!"
After bringing Naruto to the water field, the thin old man appeared again.
"Leave it to you," Tomu said.
Then he turned around and left.
The thin old man bowed slightly.
"Goodbye, Director."
Naruto looked surprised.
"Old man, Tomu looks younger than you. Why do you respect him so much?"
The old man laughed and stroked his short beard.
"You outsiders don't understand."
"The Director is actually much older than me. When he was young, he mastered dark matter energy conversion, so he maintained his youthful appearance."
Naruto nodded thoughtfully.
So dark matter can delay aging…
It's a bit like the Chakra Fruit or Six Paths chakra.
It could preserve vitality and slow down decay.
"Let's fetch water!"
Naruto sighed, picked up the pole and buckets, and started working.
After chopping wood for two days and carrying water yesterday, Naruto tried something new today.
He carefully imitated the breathing rhythm, footsteps, and body coordination of the others.
However…
The more he worked, the more tired he became.
"What's going on?"
By noon, Naruto was exhausted.
He barely had the strength to eat.
The thin old man walked over, smiling, and handed him a bowl.
"Come, drink this."
Naruto took it and smiled bitterly.
"Thank you, old man."
The liquid tasted slightly sweet.
The old man explained gently,
"When you're tired, drink something sweet. It gives you energy."
Naruto drank it all in one go.
Instantly, he felt much better.
After wiping his mouth, he bowed.
"Thank you!"
The old man looked at him seriously.
"If you imitate blindly, you will lose yourself."
"But imitation is the beginning of learning."
"You must pass through confusion first."
"When understanding comes, enlightenment follows."
"Remember this."
"You are you."
"Your body has its own rhythm."
"Find it. Don't copy us completely."
After saying that, he turned and left.
Naruto stood up and shouted after him,
"But old man, if I don't imitate, what's the point of coming here?"
"Isn't it to learn your breathing coordination?"
The old man laughed.
"I don't know."
Then he disappeared.
Naruto scratched his head.
"…What kind of answer is that?"
He fell into deep thought.
Don't imitate blindly…
Find my own rhythm…
At first, imitation worked.
But later, it only made him more tired.
Why?
Was it because his body was different?
Naruto thought about chakra.
Kaguya Otsutsuki brought chakra to Earth.
The Otsutsuki were its origin.
If he relied only on chakra again, he could never surpass them.
That was obvious.
Even the old clan leader had hinted at that.
So these days, Naruto realized:
They were preparing him to learn the Tsuchigen Clan's cultivation system.
Dark matter.
A completely different path.
But now, he was stuck.
"Hey! Stranger! Come eat!"
"If you don't eat, you won't last this afternoon!"
Naruto snapped out of his thoughts.
He was irritated and almost snapped back.
But he held himself in.
They're helping me…
He sighed.
"Alright."
After eating and resting, Naruto returned to work.
At first, he tried to imitate again.
Then he remembered the old man's words.
So he gave up.
"Forget it!"
"Carrying water and chopping wood are just physical labor!"
"What rhythm? What coordination?"
"Nonsense!"
Naruto abandoned technique and relied purely on brute force.
"You guys are strong?"
"I'll be stronger!"
He gritted his teeth and pushed himself.
Not far away, the thin old man shook his head.
He understood yesterday…
But today, he's lost again.
His comprehension is still limited.
Time passed.
Naruto was completely exhausted.
He had worked too hard, trying to prove himself.
When Tomu came to pick him up, he was shocked.
"Naruto, what happened? Why are you so tired?"
Naruto waved weakly.
"I'm fine…"
Tomu supported him.
"Don't overwork yourself."
"Take it step by step. Find your own way."
Naruto lowered his head.
He wanted to.
But he really couldn't find it.
And why does everyone here talk in riddles?
If you want to teach, just teach directly!
He suddenly missed Jiraiya.
And Fukasaku of Mount Myoboku.
They taught directly.
If you didn't understand, you got smacked.
Clear and effective.
Just then, a figure descended from the sky.
Ichiro Tsuchigen landed.
"Naruto! Naruto!"
"Good news—!"
"Oh my god, what happened to you?!"
He rushed over.
Tomu waved hurriedly.
"Master, it's not my fault! He was already like this!"
Naruto shook his head.
"It's not their fault."
Ichiro placed his hand on Naruto's back.
"Listen to me."
"Breathe."
Naruto exhaled.
Dark matter energy flowed from Ichiro's palm.
"Inhale."
Naruto inhaled.
Energy surged into his body.
"Exhale!"
Dark, impure energy was expelled.
"Hah!"
"Alright. Move."
Naruto rolled his shoulders.
Crack.
His stiffness vanished.
Pain faded.
His body felt light.
"Hey…!"
"What is this?!"
Naruto stared at Ichiro.
"Brother Ichiro, what did you do?"
Ichiro crossed his arms proudly.
"Oh, nothing special."
Naruto suddenly realized.
"Oh! Medical ninjutsu?"
"You healed me?!"
Ichiro exploded.
"Idiot!"
"This is dark matter transformation!"
Naruto scratched his head awkwardly.
"Sorry…"
It was hard to abandon old habits.
"Thanks, Brother Ichiro."
Ichiro waved at Tomu, lifted Naruto, and flew away.
They returned to the wooden house.
"Why are you flying so fast today?!" Naruto complained.
Ichiro laughed.
"Let's talk inside."
Naruto rubbed his head and walked forward.
He glanced at the second floor next door.
The window was closed.
The girl wasn't there today.
"…Strange."
Suddenly, Naruto remembered something.
"Oh! Ichiro, I wanted to ask you something!"
He put his hand on Ichiro's shoulder.
Ichiro smiled.
"Perfect. I also have something to tell you."
"Let's go inside."
And the two walked into the house together.